


Operation Jeannie

by rollingday_s



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: (bit of failed) Horror, AU, Comedy, Friendship, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-06
Updated: 2017-04-06
Packaged: 2018-10-15 10:18:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10554676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rollingday_s/pseuds/rollingday_s
Summary: Okay, yeah, it was true. Their tastes were very similar. They somehow ended up buying clothes from the same places all the time. [...] Still, he couldn't believe it when he saw him enter through the door to Ohno's apartment wearingthatcostume.





	

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer** : Arashi don't belong to me. Sakuraiba definitely own my Soul! Soul!
> 
> Previously posted on LJ in occasion of Halloween 2016. I tried making it a little scary, but I definitely failed xD

Okay, yeah, it was true. Their tastes were very similar. They somehow ended up buying clothes from the same places all the time. He couldn't even remember how many times he had met him by accident while he was shopping. So, yeah, it happened a lot that they'd unintentionally end up wearing the same shirt or the same pants. On the same day. Granted, it was a little embarrassing, but he laughed it off gracefully. Still, he couldn't believe it when he saw him enter through the door to Ohno's apartment wearing _that_ costume.

    From the back of the room he could see him make his way into the crowd. His chest was bare under the bright pink vest. The Arabian-style pants - also pink - covered him from his belly button to his ankles. He had gold slippers at his feet and a - you guessed it - pink fez on his head. Semi-transparent veils of the same colour were coming out from the hat to meet under his neck, framing his face. There was absolutely no doubt in Sho's mind: Aiba had dressed up as Jeannie.

    He sulked a little to himself. He could have pretended to be dressed as a simple military man, had he not told everyone else who he was already. He was so proud to show off his knowledge of 1960's American sitcoms by telling everyone that “no, this isn't a simple costume at all! You see, I'm dressed as Major Tony Nelson from the famous 1965 US sitcom _I Dream of Jeannie_.”

    He went ahead and babbled about how Major Nelson was an astronaut who found a bottle that contained a genie while he was stranded on an island. “Jeannie saved him, but she also fell in love with him because he had saved her in turn. And so she decided to stay with him despite having been freed by Major Nelson,” he would tell enthusiastically to anyone who'd listen. He was so excited to have found this costume in a second-hand store that sold a lot of old and foreign stuff. _I Dream of Jeannie_ had been his favourite series when he was little and he was using American television to improve his English. To be able to dress up as Major Nelson was a dream come true. Until Aiba went and ruined it for him, of course.

    He scoffed in his drink. It was all right when they met in college between classes and they were wearing the same _Shounentai_ t-shirt with the black and white print that was sold in limited edition. It bothered him a little, but hey, whatever! They didn't have to spend a lot of time together after all since Aiba was a year younger than him, and Sho only really met with him because he was friends with Nino since their parents knew each others, anyway. So who cared, right? Aiba had his friends, and he had his, so it wasn't like they spent a lot of time in the same room with the same clothes on. That only happened when Nino asked both of them to come over to his house or to go to the game centre together.

    And let's face it, if it weren't for Nino, they probably never would have met in the first place. But Nino just _had_ to make friends with his new neighbour when he transferred to the house next to him when he was twelve. And then he just _had_ to go and declare him his “best friend,” despite having Sho as best friend already. He rolled his eyes.

    “Sho-chan!” A pair of hands waved in front of him.

    “What!?” he blinked. Nino, dressed as some anime character, was looking at him impatiently. “What, Nino?”

    “You've been weirdly silent for the past couple of minutes. You wouldn't shut up about your stupid costume and then you suddenly stopped. It's freaking me out.”

    “Well--” he stumbled in his words, flustered. If he didn't say anything, no one would ever know. Aiba probably didn't even know what he dressed up as. And he was resolved never to let Nino know about the matching costumes incident, or he was sure he would never let him live it down and would mock him about it till the end of time.

    “Well what?” he shouted over the music, looking at him weirdly.

    “Well, at least I'm not dressed as some lame anime character!” he blurted out.

    Nino's outraged expression was a sight to behold, thought Sho. He was generally a very laid back guy, but if you touched in any way his manga, anime or games - all hell would break loose. Sho didn't enjoy making Nino mad because he would then whine on and on about this or that character or that storyline or that villain and, frankly, Sho didn't care one bit. But then again, this was an emergency situation, and he would do whatever it took to get Nino mad enough so that he would be too distracted to notice that maybe, just _maybe_ , Aiba was dressed as Sho's Jeannie. Well, not that he was _his_ Jeannie, he corrected himself quickly.

    “Never ever _dare_ call Akiyama Shinichi 'a lame anime character' ever again!!” Nino was saying angrily. “Liar Game is simply the best manga ever written. And it's not an anime!!”

    “Nino, what's wrong?” Ohno materialised by his friend's side in his werewolf costume.

    Sho had no idea how those two had met. One day Nino had just called him over and told him that the guy sitting on the couch is his boyfriend, and, oh, he's bi, by the way. Aiba, who had been asked to be there at the same time as him, had simply laughed happily and patted Nino on the back before going to greet Ohno. Nino had never taken his eyes off the television screen during the whole time he had talked to them. Sho suspected that he was probably just nervous they were going to take it badly or something, so he was trying to look nonchalant. Still, Sho had noticed that the character on the screen kept on falling down the hills he was trying to jump on, and he knew that Nino was too expert of a player to be that clumsy at it.

    If he had to be honest, he had been a little shocked at the whole thing, but he didn't really care after all, so he had just introduced himself to Ohno and then left him with Aiba while he went and sat with Nino. His friend had passed him a controller and had changed the game to a multiplayer, and that had been it. Since then, - almost a year ago, if his memory served him right, - Ohno had been present now and then when Sho met with his best friend.

    He liked Ohno a lot. He was older than both him or Nino, as Nino was 21, Sho was turning 23 in January and Ohno was about to turn 24 in a month. He never went to college, but was studying art on his own, and had a little studio downtown. He mostly made sculptures, even though Sho knew that some of the paintings in his apartment were his. He didn't talk much about himself, but, from what Sho could gather, he was a very quiet, very calm, very nice person. In fact, he was so calm and quiet that it actually surprised him when he had told him that he was invited to a Halloween party at his own apartment.

    “He insulted my costume!” Nino was yelling at Sho.

    “Did he really?” Ohno patted him patiently on his back. “Or did you get all worked up about something probably only you know about and nobody else does?”

    “He said my costume's lame! And then he went and said it's an anime character! An _anime_ character, Satoshi!”

    “Well, I'm sure Sho-kun is definitely regretting that now, isn't that right?” he asked Sho with pleading eyes.

    Sho rolled his eyes at Nino. He was regretting it alright. “I'm sorry I called your costume lame.”

    “And!?”

    “And that I said it's from an anime.”

    Nino squinted his eyes at him.

    Ohno put an hand on both friends' shoulders. “There, it wasn't that bad now, was it? Nino will lend you the whole Liar Game series tomorrow, Sho-kun. You're going to love it.”

    Nino snorted and crossed his arms, but didn't say no.

    Apparently pleased enough with that reply or, rather, the lack thereof, Ohno turned to Sho. “Are you enjoying yourself, Sho-kun?” He asked, smiling.

    “Y—yeah,” he stuttered. He was being ridiculous, wasn't he? Making Nino mad, causing trouble for Ohno... all just because Aiba just so happened to wear a genie costume that could or could not be matching his? “It's a great party,” he added, truthfully.

    “Thank you. But the credit isn't mine, actually. It was my younger brother who did everything. I only offered him my place, since he still lives with our parents. Oh, here he is. Jun!” He waved at someone.

    A guy dressed up as Frankenstein's monster approached them. If Ohno hadn't told him he was his brother, he never would have believed him. While Ohno was short, had a round face, and a peaceful stance, Jun was tall, with sharp features, and an impressive gaze that could probably kill if he so desired.

    “Jun, this is Sakurai Sho-kun, one of Nino's best friends.”

    “Nice to meet you,” Sho said, smiling.

    “Nice to meet you,” Jun replied gently, bowing his head at Sho. “I'm Matsumoto Jun.”

    “Matsumoto?” He asked, confused.

    “Jun is my half-brother from my mother's side,” explained Ohno.

    “Oh, I see.” Maybe they both took after their respective fathers, he thought. “I was just telling Ohno-kun that this is a great party. He told me you were the one who planned it?”

    To his surprise, Jun blushed a little, taking the compliment. “Yeah. I like planning parties.”

    “Jun wants to be an event planner,” Ohno said, looking at his brother like a doting parent would.

    Jun beamed at Ohno, embarrassed. “I'm sorry, I was looking for someone...”

    “Are you looking for Aiba-chan?” Nino asked. “I haven't seen him yet.”

_'Crap! If Nino sees him...'_ Sho thought, a little agitated.

    “No, I'm pretty sure I saw him come in, but I can't find him.” He stood on the tips of his feet. “I'm going to see if he's over there, excuse me.” He bowed to them and left. Sho sighed, relieved.

    “Ne, Satoshi,” Nino said loudly, poking at Ohno. “Jun-kun really has it bad for Aiba-chan, doesn't he?”

    “What!?” Sho exclaimed, as Ohno chuckled.

    Nino looked at him innocently. “Something wrong, Sho-chan?”

    “No! No, of course not. I was just... surprised, that's all.” He took a gulp of his drink, avoiding Nino's gaze.

    “Aiba-chan is very popular, you know.” He kept staring at him mercilessly. “With girls _and_ boys. I don't know why, though. Do _you_ know why, Sho-chan?” He asked him with an ingenuous tone.

    Sho choked on his drink. “Me!? - _cough_ \- I can't say I do, no.”

    “Well, then we can ask him,” he grinned devilishly. “Look, Jun is coming back with him right now.”

    Sho turned around. Jun was indeed walking towards them with Aiba in his pink Jeannie costume at his side. _'Ah! Crap. It's over.'_

    “Hello everyone!” Aiba exclaimed when he and Jun had reached them. He smiled contentedly at the group as everyone greeted him back.

    Sho crossed his arm and ducked his head, trying not to be noticed. Nino wouldn't stop looking at him, and that was making him uncomfortable.

    “Uh? Excuse me.” Jun suddenly took his phone from his pocket. He quickly read the text that they had just sent him with a worried expression. “Oniichan...” He grabbed the hem of Ohno's costume.

    “What's wrong, Jun?”

    Without a single word, Jun turned the music off, went to the TV and switched it on, turning the volume all the way up. The room, full of chatter and laughter until five seconds earlier, fell silent almost immediately, the attention of everyone turned to the screen.

_“...the fugitive is armed and dangerous,”_ was saying the man on the news. _“It's been reported that he's wearing a mask and a trench-coat and has been seen last in the whereabouts of Shimokitazawa. The citizens are not to engage in any way with the criminal. We advise caut--”_

    There was a scream in the room. The power had suddenly gone and the apartment and the whole block had plunged in complete darkness.

    Sho felt a hand grab his arm hard. “Sho-kun...” The only source of light was the moon outside the window, so he couldn't see much, but that voice was unmistakable: it was Aiba who was clinging to him for dear life, trembling like a five year old child.

    On his other side, he heard Ohno whispering something to Nino. His tone was calm and soothing, and Sho felt himself relax a little, too. He tentatively put his hand on Aiba's, trying to comfort him. At this, the guy just responded by huddling even closer to him, his breath uneven and his body shaking.

    Sho had to admit, he wasn't certainly the lion of the group, but he thought Aiba was definitely more of a coward than him. He almost sighed. He didn't find the situation that displeasing, having the other guy hold on to him, feeling him coming closer with each passing minute... _'What the heck am I thinking!?'_ he cursed himself mentally. He was probably just glad that he had found Aiba's weak spot, really. He would mock him about it to no end as soon as this situation had settled.

    Suddenly, there was a crash coming from outside the window. He saw a figure moving in the moonlight behind the curtains. The tension in the room was palpable.

    “Was that someone wearing a mask?” Nino whispered on his right.

    Hearing that, Aiba whimpered and unceremoniously pushed himself into him, burying his face into his neck.

    “Did you see that?” It was Jun. He must have come back sometimes after the blackout. “I'm going to see who's there.”

    “Jun,” warned Ohno in a concerned tone.

    “It's okay. I'll be right back.”

    Sho's eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and he could see Jun's slender figure moving cautiously to the windows. He moved the curtains and looked outside. Sho instinctively hugged Aiba, who still hadn't moved since he had thrown himself onto him.

    “It's okay,” Jun said somewhat loudly so the whole room could hear him. He turned his back to the windows. “There's no one--aaaah!” A pair of hands had broken the glass and had grabbed him.

    The room was filled with screams. “Jun!” Sho heard Ohno yell, scared. He covered Aiba's head protectively, the terror spreading from his chest to every fibre of his body, freezing him on the spot, unable to do much more.

    He saw two figures trying to pull Jun back in while the masked man outside was dragging him outside from the window. The power came back at that very moment. The whole room froze in surprise. Ohno and Nino were still hanging on to Jun's waist. The masked man let go of him, and Jun laughed.

    “What Halloween party worthy of its name doesn't have a scary prank, right?” He yelled to the room.

    Everybody laughed, relieved, as Jun bowed and introduced his masked friend Oguri Shun to everyone.

    “Ehm,” Nino, followed by Ohno, had appeared in front of Sho and was clearing his voice. "You guys okay?"

    He blinked. He realised that he was still holding on to Aiba, who was still a whimpering mess on his shoulder. He pushed him away brusquely.

    “I'm fine.” He said, flustered, his heart still thumping loudly. “You're such a crybaby,” he said to Aiba, without really looking at him.

    “I'm sorry,” he sobbed.

    Ohno patted him on the back brotherly. “Jun has a knack for drama. I should have known he was planning something, but I never thought it would be this. He went as far as creating a fake news report and causing a blackout in the entire block.” He shook his head, but Sho could see the amused look in his eyes.

    Once Aiba had calmed down, he started seeing the fun in the prank too. He laughed out loud. “Jun-chan is brilliant,” he praised, a hint of admiration in his eyes.

    Sho snapped his tongue, irritated. How could Aiba find him brilliant when he was so scared just seconds earlier? He straightened his back. “But he broke your window, Ohno-kun. That could have been dangerous.”

    Ohno waved his hand. "It was fake glass, it seems. He really went all out."

    Jun came back, a smile on his face. “I hope you liked the show,” he chuckled. “Was it scary enough?”

    Aiba jumped up and down. “It was great, Jun-chan! I was really scared!”

    Sho shook his head disapprovingly and made to drink. When the cup touched his lips, he realised it was empty. He bit the paper cup in frustration.

    “Aiba-kun,” Ohno said suddenly. “I meant to ask... what are you dressed as?”

    Aiba looked down at his costume. “Ah! This! I found it in an old sho—hmmff.” His eyes opened in shock. Without thinking, Sho had pressed his hand on his mouth to stop him from talking.

    “Sakurai-san?” Jun inquired, confused.

    “Ah, s—sorry,” he stammered, not letting go of Aiba. “I need to talk to Aiba, just a second.” He pulled the guy away and pushed him in the nearest room.

    Sho looked around. They were in Ohno's bedroom. The room was neat and didn't contain much, only the king-size bed, a night-stand and a closet. But what surprised Sho was that the walls were entirely covered with sketches. Here and there, he could see drawings of Nino as well.

    “Sho-kun?” Aiba asked, tentatively. “What did you want to talk about?”

    Sho looked at Aiba. He had to admit the costume kinda looked good on him, even though it had been made for a feminine figure. He thought it was unfair that he didn't look half as ridiculous as he should have been, standing there in a pink vest and pants with veils coming out from his laughable fake-clip hat-fez whatever. He didn't look ridiculous at all, no. If Sho had to really find an adjective to describe him, he would say Aiba looked kinda, sorta, a little, _hot_. Not that he would say that! He felt his cheeks burn.

    “Whyareyoudressedlikethat,” he blurted out.

    “Eh!?” Aiba looked at him worriedly. Sho couldn't really blame him. He was acting weirdly, blushing while looking at him, saying incomprehensible things... best case scenario, he probably thought he was having a stroke.

    He took a deep breath. “I said... why are you dressed like that?”

    He patted his vest. “You don't like it?” he frowned.

    “What!?” He blushed even more. “Why would I like it!?”

    Aiba bit his lip. “But Nino said...”

    “Nino!? What did Nino say!?”

    “He said there's this American series you've always loved, and that you found the costume of one of the leads, and wouldn't it be great if I bought the other one so we could have matching costumes?” He sighed. “He assured me you were going to love it, but it seems he was wrong.”

    Sho gaped at him. “Why would you do that!? It's weird having matching costumes when you're not a couple.”

    Aiba looked down at his chest. He pulled off his vest and touched his pectorals. “Maybe it's because I don't have boobs?”

    “W—what are you d—doing,” he stuttered. “Put your vest b—back on.”

    Aiba ignored him. “Ne, Sho-kun.” He got closer to Sho. “Is it because I don't have boobs?” He kept moving closer and closer. With every step he took forward, Sho took one backwards, until he ended up with his back on the door and Aiba stopped at mere centimetres from his face, towering over him.

    Sho gulped. “You don't need to have boobs.”

    Aiba smiled. “Really? Does it look good anyway?”

    Sho wasn't paying that much attention any more. “Yeah.” He licked his lips while looking at Aiba's. “Yeah, you look kinda...”

    “Kinda?” Aiba's nose brushed against his.

    “Hot.”

    “Then,” he lowered his voice, “does my costume please you after all, _master_?”

    Sho nodded slowly, his eyes still staring at the other guy's lips.

    “You saved me, earlier,” Aiba purred. “You were really brave and gallant, Sho-kun. Holding on to me like that. I think you should be rewarded.” One of Aiba's hands touched his chest, pushing him further against the door. “Do you have any wishes you want to ask of me, _master_?”

    “Uhh... I wish that you would...” Sho felt his breathing accelerate. “Kiss me?”

    Aiba giggled. He crossed his arms. “Your wish is my command, master.” He blinked and chuckled again before kissing Sho.

 

He was still blushing when they came out of Ohno's room. Aiba was acting surprisingly natural, giggling cheerfully, pushing him back to their friends.

    “Finally!” Nino exclaimed when he saw them. He smirked at Sho. “Did the costume please you, _master_?”

    Sho started stuttering.

    “I guess that means yes,” Ohno chuckled.

    Aiba looked around. “Where's Jun-chan? He came to ask me about our next training session, but with everything that happened I haven't had the chance to tell him that we've moved it up to Friday.”

    “Training session?” Sho looked at Aiba.

    “Yeah, he joined my baseball team last month.”

    “But I thought-- Nino said--” he looked back and forth between Nino and Aiba.

    “He's over there,” said Nino pointing at Jun on the other side of the room. “He's on the phone, talking with his _girlfriend_.” He stressed that last word with a grin on his face.

    “Oh, good. I'll be right back.” He left.

   “You tricked me!” Sho said to Nino, scandalised.

   Nino rolled his eyes. “If it weren't for me planning this whole Operation Jeannie thing, you'd still pretend you don't want to get into Aiba's pants every time you're in the same room.”

    “I don't-- It's not like that! What do you mean with Operation Jeannie!?”

    “Operation Jeannie a.k.a. How to make Sho realise he's head over heels for Aiba since he was thirteen.”

    “I'm not-- I wasn't--”

    “Uh-uh, Major Denial, whatever you say.” Nino yawned. “You left your fly open, by the way.”

    Ohno and Nino laughed as Sho fumbled with his pants. Aiba came back immediately and joined in.

    “What's so funny?” he asked.

    “Oh, nothing,” Nino said. “So... are you two a couple now?”

    Sho felt at a loss for words. Okay, they did just make out in Ohno's room, but what did that mean? What if it was just a game for Aiba? Did he even like guys? Did he even like _him_?

    Aiba grabbed his arm. “Well, we _are_ wearing matching costumes like couples do, aren't we, Sho-chan?” He smiled at him.

    Sho pretended to pout, but he felt so relieved at those words. He couldn't stop a smile from spreading on his lips. “Oh, shut up.” He said to Nino's direction.

    “Didn't say a thing.”

    “You don't need to,” he retorted, but he was fully smiling now.

    Aiba giggled. “I think Operation Jeannie was a success, Nino. But now, if you would excuse us, we have to go.”

    Sho looked at him confused. “We do?”

    Aiba nodded. “I will make all your wishes come true,master,” he whispered seductively in his ear before chuckling.

    Aiba hummed as his hands wrapped around his arm, dragging him out of the apartment and into his car. The night was still young, Aiba was in high spirits and, Sho thought to himself, he did have one wish or two in mind, after all.

**Author's Note:**

> - _I Dream of Jeannie_ was, as mentioned already in the fic, an American sit-com that aired from 1965 to 1970. The main leads were Cpt. Anthony "Tony" Nelson and Jeannie, the genie he found on a deserted island. Jeannie falls in love with Tony and decides to follow him even after he frees her. When I was little I used to watch the reruns all the time, together with _Bewitched_. I don't think I've seen it on air since, though. It's been more than 15 years, surely. For reference, here's [a picture](http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/rollingday_s/78498418/567/567_600.jpg) of what the two protagonists used to wear. If you think about it, pink aside, Jeannie's general idea of clothes does look a little like [Aiba's costume in Mr Funk](http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/rollingday_s/78498418/795/795_600.jpg), so...  
>  -Akiyama Shinichi is one of the protagonists from LIAR GAME which is really one of the best mangas ever written, if anyone is interested.


End file.
